Paddle



p 1, 1952 o. s. MCDONALD 2,590,991

PADDLE Filed June 20, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED PADDLE Otis S. McDonald, Green Cove Springs, Fla. Application June 20, 1950, Serial No. 169,087

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cars or paddles, particularly the latter.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved paddle capable of being folded to substantially half its normal length for facility of handling, storing or the like.

Another object of this invention is to improve the hinge connection between the handle and flat ends of the paddle incorporating therewith a frictional lock to hold the paddle in extended, operative condition, it requiring no special latching, bolting, or fastening devices to hold the paddle in the. extended or operative condition.

Ancillary objects and features of importance, such as extreme simplicity of construction will become apparent in [following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the paddle in the operative condition;

Figure 2 isan enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective detail construction showing the hinge assembly; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the two portions of the paddle in the collapsed or folded condition.

I am fully aware that paddles or oars prior to this time have been so constructed as to be capable of folding. To my knowledge, however, each paddle construction of this type employs a bolt, a collar or sliding sleeve of one type or another in order to hold the two parts of the paddle l in the extended position.

By experience I have rfound that such constructions are expensive, heavy and faulty in operation inasmuch as sand accumulates in the sliding parts of the latches rendering them difficult to operate and such paddles are not in popular demand inasmuch as they are too annoying to operate.

In the disclosed device there is a paddle It) illustrated which includes a handle portion or a handle l2 together with a flat work or blade portion I4 connected therewith by an improved hinge and latch assembly I6.

The upper and lower or handle and work portions I2 and I4 are substantially standard in configuration and size. However, the handle portion [2 is provided with a tongue l8 forming an extension thereof. The outer end of the tongue is beveled as at 20 from one flat surface toward the other flat surface to fit flush against the bev- 3 about the pin 28 as an axis.

eled surface 22 (see Figure 4) of the work portion l4. These beveled portions in engagement form a means to restrict the pivotal movement of the work portion or section 1 I 4 with respect to the handle portion or section l2.

The beveled surface 22 is formed in the inne wall of the notch 24, which notch is cut in the upper end of the fiat portion l4 of the paddle Ill.

The notch 24 is' approximately the same width and depth as the tongue l8 so that when the paddle is in the operative condition as disclosed in Figure l, the friction between the tongue and the walls of the notch hold the paddle in the extended position as disclosed in Figure 1.

In order to form the hinge or pivot axis, a pin 28 is partially sunk in a transverse groove 30 extending across the material of the flat portion l4 on each side of the notch 24 and also across the tongue l8. Staples 32 are passed through the material of the upper and lower sections or portions l2 and I4 and overlie the hinge pin 28 to hold it firmly in the groove 30. The staples have their ends bent over as disclosed in Figure 2 so that they will not pull out during operation of the two sections of the paddle.

A. pivoted latch 34 is held in place by means of the screw 36 on one of the sections and is adapted when rotated, to overlie the tongue and notch to ensure the firm latching of the sections together. The latch 34 is employed only as a safety measure, the friction between the tongue 18 and the walls of the notch serving the greatest portion of the latching.

To further ensure proper latching, the side walls of the notch may be beveled as is the wall 22 and correspondingly, the side walls of the tongue 18 may be beveled to match therewith.

In operation, the handle portion I2 is grasped by the hands, lifted and stopped abruptly to cause the paddle portion or section I4 to swing This causes the tongue It to become frictionally locked in the notch 24. The action is similar to the cracking of a whip. Thereafter, if a latch 34 is present, it is rotated to the latching condition simply as a safety factor or feature.

Having described the claimed as new is:

l. A foldable paddle comprising a handle section and a blade section, said extension being coplanar with said handle section, said handle section having a tongue formed as an extension thereof at one end, a notch formed in the confronting end of said blade section, said invention, what is tongue having at least one beveled surface and said notch having at least one beveled wall to seat said beveled surface on said tongue, a pivot pin secured to said tongue and said blade portion of the paddle thereby pivotally connecting said handle portion and said blade portion, and said tongue seating in said notch and frictionally locking therein to hold said handle portion and said blade portion in the operative condition.

2. A foldable paddle comprising a handle section and a blade section, said handle section having a tongue formed as an axial extension thereof at one end, said extension being coplanar with said handle section, a notch formed in the confronting end of said blade section, said tongue having at least one beveled surface and said n'otch having at least one beveled wall to seat said beveled surface on said tongue, a pivot pin secured to said tongue and said blade portion of the paddle thereby pivotally connecting said handle portion and said blade portion,

and said tongue seating in said notch and frictionally locking therein to hold said handle portion and said blade portion in the operative condition, said tongue and said blade portion having a transverse groove therein, said pin being disposed in said groove to at least partially countersink said pin, and an auxiliary latch secured to one of said portions and arranged to overlie a part of said notch and a part of said tongue.

formed at the confronting edges of said handle and said blade portion with said tongue and notch, each having at least one beveled confronting wall to form a stop and said tongue and notch being of predetermined sizes so that the friction between said tongue and notch forms a resistance to movement of said handle and blade portion.

OTIS S. MCDONALD.

ii-EFERENQES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,367,222 Kurtz Jan. 16, 1945 2,530,754 Bienert Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 573,005 Germany Mar. 25. 1933 503,378 France Mar. 16,- 1920 

